Dreams the Way We Planned 'Em
by DefiGraviti
Summary: A latenight conversation between Elphaba and Galinda. They could always talk about anything and everything, this night in particular. Oneshot.


**A/N: Just to let any of y'all know who happen to be interested, "Just Two Friends" is on temporary hiatus seeing as my muse has temporarily left me and I can't seem to get the inspiration for the second part. I'm working on it though and I'll post it as soon as I write it and it's beta-ed.**

**But this is one I've had written for weeks now, so I thought I'd go on and post it before band camp really gets going. This is inspired party by One Short Day, partly from Defying Gravity (obviously), and partly from a conversation with oboefae. Enjoy!**

Dreams the Way We Planned 'Em

"Elphie, come _on_, go to bed. It's late."

"Can't," Elphaba said distractedly, not looking up from the book in her lap, "Big test tomorrow."

Galinda sighed. "Yes, I know, I have it too. Remember?"

"Yes, but some of us actually _study _for our tests."

"Hey!" Galinda said indignantly. "That was just _mean._ I _did_ study for this test, thank you very much! Where do you think I _was_ all day? The library, that's where!"

Elphaba finally looked up from her book at Galinda's hurt tone, and now she sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache. "I'm really sorry G'lin," she said tiredly. "You're right, that was completely out of line."

Galinda sighed. That's okay. I guess this whole studying thing is still rather new behavior for me."

This coaxed a small smile out of both of them.

"Now come on Elphie, no amount of studying is going to do you any good if you fall asleep in the middle of the test. Go to bed."

"No, Galinda, you don't understand-"

"I do understand. I understand that you've gotten a maximum of four hours of sleep every night this week and you're going to land yourself in the psyche ward for insomnia-induced schizophrenia if you're not careful."

Elphaba laughed softly. "Why Miss Galinda, since when do you come up with sharp retorts like that?"

Galinda smiled grimly. "Since the same time you decided that you didn't have time to sleep."

Elphaba's smile disappeared. "Galinda… ever since- ever since-"

"Ever since Dr. Dillamond was taken," Galinda offered.

"Yes, ever since then, I- I feel like I have to work- harder. Like I have to be perfect, because-"

"Because Morrible said that if you worked hard, then you would get to work with the Wizard." Elphaba looked up at Galinda with some essence of surprise. "See," Galinda said quietly, "I _do_ understand."

"I just- I want to _do_ something. To stop this obscene Animal cruelty. And I know that the only way I'm going to be able to actually make a difference is to be with the Wizard."

"You'll get there, I _know_ you will, I believe in you. But I'm _worried_ about you too, and killing yourself will do nothing to help the Animals."

Elphaba sighed, but finally laid aside her book and lay down in her bed. "Okay, fine, you win."

Galinda reached over to turn off the light and smiled. "Thank you. And good night."

"Good night."

Galinda and Elphaba lay in their respective beds in silence for a few moments. Galinda tried to get herself to relax, but she couldn't get her mind to stop whirling. Elphaba heard her sigh in frustration and turn over to face the wall. A few moments later she heard the muffled sound of her name being called through a pillow.

"Yes?" Elphaba responded.

Galinda said something in response, but this time the words were completely obscured by her pillow.

Elphaba smiled. "Galinda, I'm pretty sure that your fluffy pink pillow can understand you much better than I can."

Galinda rolled back over. "I _said, _what's going to happen to me once you're with the Wizard?"

The question caught Elphaba completely off guard. She was struck dumb momentarily as she struggled to figure out what Galinda had meant. She had never really thought about anything beyond getting to work with the Wizard, and she couldn't understand why Galinda cared so much. They would both just go on living, right? Galinda would marry Fiyero and go live some fabulous life with huge houses and fancy dresses- it would be perfect for her. And Elphaba would live and work in the Emerald City. They would go their separate ways. But maybe that was what Galinda was worried about?

"You'll come with me," Elphaba said decidedly, "We'll both live in the Emerald City."

"Really?" Galinda said, her voice tinged with hope.

"Yes. We'll share a flat, and during the day I'll go and work with the Wizard and you'll get some glamorous job as a fashion designer or something."

"No," Galinda said firmly.

Elphaba looked through the darkness at her friend in surprise. "No?"

"No. I don't want some fluff job like 'fashion designer'. I don't want it- no, I _can't_ want it anymore. I want a job that makes a difference too. I can't justify doing something for the rest of my life that isn't helping someone else- not after what happened to Dr. Dillamond."

Elphaba smiled softly in admiration and realized for the first time just how much Galinda had changed. "Well, then you'll work with the Wizard too. I'm sure that if I can really gain his trust, he'll give you a job if I ask him to."

Galinda grinned, settling into the daydream. "And then on weekends, we'll go to theatres and museums and those grand clothing boutiques I've heard so much about."

"And the libraries!"

Galinda groaned good-naturedly. "Alright, fine, libraries."

"And everywhere we go, people will know our names! We'll get special treatment and everything."

"We'll be the most beloved women in all of Oz!"

"And someday, maybe the Wizard would even be able to find a way to de-greenify me," Elphaba said dreamily.

"No!" Galinda cried suddenly, "Don't do that!"

"Why not?" Elphaba demanded indignantly.

"Because your green skin makes you special. Unique. And you don't need to change yourself just to fit in."

Elphaba smiled. "Fine, I won't let him change my skin."

"Good."

They lapsed into silence once again, but this time because both girls were lingering in their own daydreams.

"Whoever's doing these things to the Animals won't stand a chance. Together, we'll be unlimited. There'll be nothing we can't do."

Galinda sighed contentedly. "And nobody will ever bring us down."

**A/N: Review! And, as I shamelessly plug, be sure to visit the page I share with oboefae, BarbosaTheGreenDucky, and check out our awesome Wicked drabbles!**


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